Much like Duly Noted
by peetapen
Summary: Much like the outtakes in LadyDunla's Duly Noted. If you're a fan of The Journal and Thorin and Kate's unconventional marriage have a glimpse of what their life was along with their children
1. Worst Cramps Ever

**A/N: For my deep love of The Journal by LadyDunla**

**I don't own the characters**

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Thorin Oakenshield prided himself in being in control. Yes, he has a temper. But then again, most dwarves had. But everything he knew about self-control was thrown out of the window when he met Kate Andrews.

The Queen under the Mountain could silence even the most vicious of person. Not only had she managed to insult a powerful enemy the likes of Azog the Defiler, but she was able to insult the woodland elves' sorry excuse for a king. And she has managed to keep that mouth of hers, which proved to be his temper-controlling bane and one of the reasons why Erebor thrived the way it has these years.

After reclaiming the Mountain from Smaug, they didn't waste any time in bringing it back to its formerglory. And it turned out that Kate was perfect for the job of ordering people about. But one particular incident though would turn Kate scarier than the firedrake they killed—that was when she had her monthly period.

Not that it wasn't controlled by that elvish concoction she took for the pain, but she sometimes forgot to take it when there were so many things that needed to be fixed. And the people would cower around her like she might have unleashed the dragon's breath.

One particular day stands out the most though as what he now dubs as Kate's worst cramps ever. And no, Kate didn't turn into a firedrake herself. It might have also the worst day ever in his life. It was a few months after she had given birth to the twins. Thorin was busy discussing with the council how to strengthen the back side of the Mountain when his second son, Thráin, came bursting into the council chamber.

"Father! Amad is dead!" Thorin felt his blood ran cold and felt as if the world stopped turning, since he was momentarily frozen to the ground he was standing on. It was like everything he dreaded. He knew that Kate wasn't going to live long. But this—this was too soon! She's just given him his fourth and fifth children, something he clearly didn't even dare to dream of. But he surely didn't want his twins to grow up not knowing their mother.

He didn't even excuse himself from the council. He rushed out, took Thráin's hands and gruffly asked him where his mother was. "She's in her study. Thoren found her in the floor." His son's hands were equally trembling. Poor thing, he was only 12 years old. Barely a man. To lose their mother at such a young age would require his children to grow up fast, something he clearly didn't want for them to experience. He saw that happen to his sister-sons and he wouldn't wish it on his children. Even though they had a responsibility to be the future leaders of the Mountain and they needed to behave like the royals that they were, but still, he didn't want them to be burdened so young.

His grip tightened as the door to Kate's study came into view. He pushed the door forcefully, and found his eldest son trying his hardest to carry his mother. Why hadn't his sons called out to the guards? And where in Durin's name were they?

"Kate!" He all but growled the woman to awake. He snatched her up from Thoren's arms and brought her hurriedly to their bed chamber. "Thoren, Thráin, call out to the guards and tell them to bring the healer. He felt Kate's skin, finding it to be cold and he just managed not to look at her face, terrified that he might lose his control completely. He all but shouted open to the guards near to their bedchamber and laid Kate on their bed.

'Kate… Kate…' he called out. At any given time, he would have been embarrassed to be so vulnerable, but at this time he couldn't imagine losing Kate within so short a time. He knew that he needed to be ready for this situation, but right now he wasn't. He was at the verge of tears as he looked at his wife's ashen face. 'Don't—don't,'Thorin choked, 'don't leave me yet.'

'I'm not, you idiot.' He heard the woman in front of him feebly saying.

'Kate!'He crushed the woman in a hug, grateful to Mahal that his wife wasn't lost yet.

'Ugh, I can't breathe Thorin.' He let go of Kate and heard the soft argument that was clearly going on between his two sons.

"I didn't say she was dead! I said she was deathly pale!"

"You shouldn't have said something along the lines of dead!"

Thorin slowly turned around and saw both of his sons standing meekly across their bed. He felt Kate's hand touch his left arm briefly. 'Go easy on them. They were as terrified as you.' He gave her a curt but stern nod. He wanted to be angry at his sons for frightening him so much. But he knelt and touched Thoren and Thráin's right and left arm. 'Don't worry; I am not angry at you. But please, don't alarm me like that again. Are the healers outside?' His two sons nodded gravely. They were still trembling. 'Call them inside. You may go to your activities after.' His sons hurriedly ran outside and called the healers.

Thorin walked towards their bed and saw Kate smiling tightly. She was still in so much pain. 'Woman problem?' he asked, sitting down beside her. He was answered with a curt nod. 'You forgot to take that concoction again, didn't you?'

Kate scoffed and he saw the tiredness in her eyes. 'I was doing so much I forgot what day it was.'

'Your majesty?' called out one of the healers. 'We're here to assist the queen.'

Thorin rose up from the bed and gave way to the healers. Now that Kate seemed more or less accounted for, he asked Kate to excuse him so he could go back to the council, although Mahal knew he didn't want to. He wanted to stay with Kate, take care of her. But heavens, Kate could be an absolute pain when it came to his fussing. This woman didn't change a bit, even with having all the resources and riches in the world at her disposal. She still didn't like it when people fussed over her. 'I'll be fine. Go on with your duties.'

He dismissed the council early to be able to go back to Kate. But before going back to her, he called his two sons. Thoren entered with Thráin trailing behind. Clearly they were still both terrified of the situation earlier, especially Thráin, who might have resembled the color of his mother's face just a few hours ago. Bless Thoren though, his eldest son who is taking more responsibility in this. They both stopped a few inches from him. 'Father, I take responsibility in what happened earlier. I should not have spoken so tactlessly that Thráin wasn't able to hear me clearly. I promise that this won't happen again. As doesThráin as well.'

Thorin faced his sons. Thráin still wasn't meeting his eyes, but Thoren was looking at him with a dignified but apologetic face. He sat down and asked both his sons to come closer. He all but coaxed Thráin to face him as well. 'Face me,Thráin.' His second son slowly met his eyes.

'I accept your apology and I trust that this won't happen again. I urge you both to understand why I had acted that way. You must understand also and accept that your mother's life is not as long as the dwarves' are and although I know your mother would disapprove, I want you both to take care that she does not go yet until the twins can take care of themselves. Can you both do that for me?' Thoren and Thráin nodded with an incredible muster of enthusiasm. 'Very well,' Thorin said while standing, 'You may go back to your activities.'

For a while, Thorin stared at the space his two sons had just vacated. Both of them looked like dwarves, but heavens, the way they talk most of the time resembled their mother—their mouths running away before their brain could dictate. Mahal knew that he needed to do something about that, especially with Thoren, now heir to the Mountain. But right now, he could breathe easily, knowing that he will not do this alone. He stood up and made his way to his and Kate's bedchamber.

Carefully, he opened the door and saw that Kate was sleeping soundly. Not that he transformed into a man of affectionate gestures, but he couldn't help reassuring himself that his wife was still alive as he touched her head, tucking a loosed strand of her red curls behind her ear.

'Playing the romantic, Thorin Oakenshield? Whatever did you do to my husband?' the sick woman said teasingly. Thorin might have thought that he was about to lose Kate only a few minutes ago, but then he shouldn't have doubted that she was made of steel. He wouldn't lose her as soon as he might have feared. He gave her his trademark low chuckle as he took off his coat and boots. The truth was though, even with Kate starting their foolish play at affection—that is that easy banter that they've always kept—he didn't know how to counter his wife's latest remark. Because whatever happened, he loved Kate with all his heart and losing her might prove to be a far greater tragedy than when he lost Erebor once.

The Queen under the Mountain must have sensed her almost inappropriate attempt at starting their banter as she sighed heavily. Thorin turned around, only to see a Kate looking melancholic. Sometimes it was still a wonder to him how they both seemed to know what the other was thinking without them speaking about it. He knew that his wife knew how scared he was when he thought she died. 'Come here,' Kate beckoned to him, to which he responded by sitting on their bed beside her.

Kate held his right arm as she did long ago when she made the oath of protecting him from the gold lust. 'I, Catherine, Queen under the Mountain, hereby swear to tell Thorin, King under the mountain when it is time to leave. It will be my duty to remind him on that day to peacefully let go of me and then follow after at some point in time. He will not fret or complain, because he will understand and accept the situation. I also swear that I will never again frighten him into thinking that I will be gone before the appointed time.'

Thorin couldn't help it. He all but crushed his lips to Kate's as he poured his every care about losing her by telling her how much he loved her in that kiss to which Kate responded enthusiastically. He felt Kate smiling in the kiss, to which he broke it off momentarily. 'Where's your corresponding oath? I wouldn't take you for a dwarf not to give something in return.'

Thorin chuckled. Of course, he hadn't said anything since he came inside their bedchamber. He held Kate's arm and concentrated into phrasing his oath. 'I, Thorin, King under the Mountain, hereby swear to Catherine, Queen under the Mountain, to never get frightened as much as he was only a moment ago. I also swear to accept peacefully and follow immediately after Kate when it is time to leave Middle Earth.' As much as Thorin would have wanted to lead his people more even after Kate's death, he didn't think he would be able to do it without this woman—his red headed, hairless, skinny queen.

He saw his wife giving him her trademark mocking smile. 'There, you happy now? Honestly Thorin, you wouldn't have thought I would miss out on the twins' lives, did you?'

"I wouldn't have thought so. Thráin gave too much of a shock is all."

"Yes, I did hear that. I hope you weren't too hard on the boys."

"I was not."

'Good. Well then, would you like to come beside me and dream dreams with me?' Kate asked sheepishly.

Thorin laid down beside his queen, grateful that tomorrow he would still be waking up with her breathing beside him.

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**A/N: Although I did do this for LadyDunla, I still love reviews!**

**Follow me on twitter: BeiahPN4 or tumblr: somedayillbepeterpan**


	2. High Cholesterol

A/N: I got way too excited when I got the approval from LadyDunla that I created two stories in a span of 1 week after reading The Journal. So here's for the Kate the fusser hater. :P

I know Kate doesn't like it when people fuss over her. But I've always thought that if there's one person she'd like to fuss over her, it would be Thorin, and Thorin alone. What better way for her to subtlety make the King Under the Mountain fuss over her? Why not do it on her birthday?

Again, for my deep love of The Journal by LadyDunla.

I don't own the characters.

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**Kate**

Kate Andrews, the current Queen Under the Mountain didn't bother so much when it comes to her birthday when she was still in her own world. That was quite enough fun for her as she always celebrated it with her twin brother, Jacko, who was a much sociable person than she was.

Coming to Middle-Earth though, she was faced with a different birthday scenario—she's celebrating it alone. Everyone who will know her birth date would only know it was her birthday and no one else. They will celebrate and commemorate the day of her birth with no one else to share it with.

That was probably the reason why she never mentioned it to anyone, not even to her husband, Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain. She never thought of being a queen. And she knew all too well how grand a celebration is for a royal—and a hero at that. She can only imagine the celebrations she used to share with her brother multiplied by ten times of social discomfort and possibly the sight of too many drunken dwarves. She was quite happy not to remind Thorin that she aged.

But after a few years, following her giving birth to their second son, she thought by now she might not be too opposed to remembering her birth date. It was understandable that Thorin might not remember to ask her about this. To be fair to him, much was needed to be fixed over and under the Mountain. And it sure wasn't going to fix itself within a year. There were two years (not consecutive mind) that she only remembered her birth date passed by when she noticed that it was already winter.

One particular year though, when the Mountain's progress was more or less in a stable state, she decided to celebrate her birthday. Even though she was the only one who knew about it. It ended in more or less one discomfort and a whole lot of welcomed fussing from her husband.

**Thorin**

Being a royal meant celebrations. Well, part of it. And Thorin was all too aware of the ceremonies a royal must go through in their entire life. There was the 7-day festivities for their name days, month long prepared programs that bring both happiness and discomfort to the celebrator as every known dwarf noble was invited in Erebor. And they have more than enough space and riches to spend to create the grandest of celebrations.

This was however the trouble with the current Queen Under the Mountain, even though several years have passed since the day they reclaimed the Mountain. Yes, Kate was of the race of Men and their traditions are different from the dwarves. Unfortunately, Kate was an even rarer race of men as she belonged in another world. She hated fussing more than anything and celebrating her birthday was the grandest fuss for Kate. Honestly, it took such a long time for Thorin to learn when her birthday was. And even then, it was because of Kate's slip of the tongue that he _remembered _that his wife actually aged.

It was after dinner, one day, a few years after Thráin's birth. They were having some roasted pig for dinner, something Kate said she hadn't eaten in a while. Kate most enthusiastically devoured her part. Thorin never knew Kate to be a hearty eater, what with her almost always giving her parts to him (mostly Bombur and Ori during the quest) during their travels. But today, she seemed in the mood to eat to her heart's content. _Why was that? _Thorin wondered.

Over time, Thorin grew confident in knowing Kate's moods. But bless Mahal, she is still a wonder to him. A mystery wrapped now in fine linen and pig's grease. 'Would you like more, Kate?' Thorin asked, unable to hide the tease in his voice.

He was met with Kate's glare. Her hair and face seemed to grow redder as she noticed that she was eating in rather an undignified way. Slowly, his wife put down her fork and wiped her face in deliberately lady-like way. 'What I have is enough, Thorin, thank you very much. I'll have you know that I am simply expressing my gratitude to Bofdel. Thank you for the lovely meal, Bofdel.' The Queen under the Mountain gave a curt nod to the royal cook—who was unaware of the brewing tension that Thorin began.

Thorin chuckled. If there was anything that didn't change with Kate, it was her weight. She has more meat now on her limbs thank Mahal. But she was still far more like a stick to most dwarves— most especially to the nobles. Kate continued eating her food with more grace and finesse than she was doing before. It didn't escape his notice though that his wife was looking daggers at him. Something told him that he would be at the end of a tongue-lashing after dinner. He sighed with some amusement. Some things never change.

By the end of the dinner, Thorin felt like his food was consumed more by Kate's looks than him eating it. His queen gulped one last cup of wine and then announced that she was finished with her dinner. The queen excused herself and made her way to their bed chamber.

The King Under the Mountain followed shortly. Upon opening their door to their bed chamber he noticed that Kate was sitting at the edge of their bed, still wearing her dinner clothes while touching the back of her neck. Assuming that she heard him come inside, he waited for the impending tongue-lashing. But as he took off and changed his clothes, he found that Kate was still quietly seated on their bed. Thorin frowned. Surely by now Kate would have noticed that he was shuffling rather noisily around the room. She did say that was one of the characteristics of dwarves, they make such loud noises that it feels like there are numerous elephants thundering from their feet. 'Kate? Are you well?' Thorin asked. To that, his wife slowly turned his head and saw that glare he received just a while ago at the dinner table. 'Can't you see that I'm bloody well not?' Kate hissed. 'Damn that pig!' she added for good measure. Thorin walked towards Kate and saw that she was breathing heavily as well. 'What is happening to you exactly?' asked Thorin now worried.

'What is happening to me is I'm getting old fast in this world, Thorin Oakenshield. And can you please step away a little? I can't bloody breathe. Or better yet, would it be possible to give me water?' Thorin grabbed the nearest goblet and poured water in it. Kate grabbed it with enthusiasm as soon as she was able to reach it from Thorin. 'Is there tea?' his wife asked. 'I will get some for you,' Thorin said already walking towards the door.

Upon closing the door, one thing stuck with Thorin. His wife aged. Goodness what a fool Thorin felt. Of all the things that he would forget, it was inquiring and knowing when his wife's name day was. He was of course unable to ask that when they were still on the quest. But Mahal, several _actual _years have already passed. The 5th commemoration of their quest was already upon them as it is after Durin's day. He can almost hit himself if not for the pride and dignity he still wants to be intact.

The realization took him by surprise that he didn't even think to call out to the servants to get his wife's tea. He popped his head inside the kitchen, to which Bofdel was greatly surprised. The clang of pots the royal cook unfortunately let go almost made Thorin deaf. 'Your majesty! What brings you to the kitchen so late at night?'

'Forgive me for the fright I caused you,Bofdel. I would like to have some tea. The Queen needs it.'

'Of course, your majesty. I will have someone bring it up to your bedchamber.'

'No need. I would bring it up myself.' He was met with an almost incredulous look from the cook. The kitchen suddenly turned into a military hall as Bofdel barked orders to which the servants scurried hurriedly to get the Queen's tea.

After pacifying the fright he gave the kitchen, Thorin made his way back to his and Kate's bedchamber. He found his Queen now lying down their bed but still in her dinner clothes. 'That took you long enough. Why didn't you ask someone to get the tea?' Kate asked.

'I needed time to think.' Thorin answered. What he was thinking about exactly is how to ask Kate when her name day was. He knows that his wife might take it as him fussing when all of a sudden he asks when she was born. No, he needed Kate to say it herself. And Mahal knows it wouldn't be that easy.

He laid down the tray he was holding on the table near their bed and started pouring tea in the cup. 'Is the pain gone?' he inquired.

'Not all of it. But it did hurt a lot before you came here. Now it's like a throbbing needle like pain. That I hate by the way.' Thorin chuckled. When in pain, Kate almost always lashes out. He needed only to coax more just so Kate would eventually reveal her name day. He deliberately made clanging noises while mixing honey in Kate's tea. 'Thorin Oakenshield, I swear to Mahal, you are deliberately worsening my headache. Can't you see that I'm in pain here?' Kate said through clenched teeth. The Queen momentarily sat up from their bed after which she let herself fall into lying again. Thorin turned around and saw his wife clutching the back of her head again. 'So much for celebrating my birthday,' Kate muttered.

It was a wonder sometimes what sounds and silence can do. He made his way to their bed and reached out to Kate's hands. 'Drink, Kate.' Thorin pulled his wife up and assisted Kate in drinking the tea. '_**Happy birthday**_' said Thorin in Khuzdul. His wife stiffened. Since culminating the quest, Kate continued her studies of Khuzdul. It was one of the redeeming factors for her that made the nobles somewhat like her. He was fairly sure that Kate knew what he just said.

'Me and my big mouth,' Kate said exasperatedly. It was almost a triumph in Thorin's book. But, the way Kate did it, it was like she wanted him to know it was her birthday. There's just no knowing a woman's mind. 'I know Middle-Earth have insane parties for birthdays but please, please I beg you. Spare me,' Kate pleaded.

Thorin took the cup from his wife's hand and laid it down on the floor. He looked at her and pulled her head to his lips, kissing it lightly. 'But you wanted me to know,' he muttered against her hair.

'Of course you idiot,' Kate said teasingly. 'I always wondered why you never asked me.'

'You have to forgive me for that.' At any given time, the King Under the Mountain wouldn't admit to being an idiot. But this time, his wife had a clear upper hand. 'I feel a real idiot for not learning when your birth date was.'

Kate smiled despite the throbbing pain she was feeling. Now, Thorin knows, if there was anyone who Kate would like to fuss over her, it would be him. And him alone. His wife leaned in and gave him a teasing kiss and said, 'That you are, Thorin Oakenshield. That you are.'

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A/N: So much for birthdays and teas. Haha XD Reviews are welcome and lovely.

Follow me on twitter: BeiahPN4 or tumblr:somedayillbepeterpan.

On a side note: Have you seen the Desolation of Smaug trailer? I swear I'm going to die on December 13.


	3. The Adventures of Jack and Cathy

A/N: One thing that appealed to me the most about The Journal was Kate and Thorin's kids. Perhaps my favorite is the twins because I have a twin sister too. There's a special kind of perspective and imagination that comes when you share the same set of DNA, a balance that you won't see in your sibling. No matter how adventurous or crazy the other twin may be, there's a beautiful kind of tolerance you put up with him/her. Because you understand why he/she does it. You know the thing they say that a twin knows what the other twin experiences even when they are miles apart? There is some truth in it.

So let me introduce you to the first of The Adventures of Jack and Cathy.

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**Jack**

If there was something that bummed Jack everyday it was that his brothers were way older than him. By the time he was old enough to be anxious to achieve some adventures of his own, Thoren and Thráin were almost always whisked away by their father for the many royal duties they had to fulfill.

And then there was that annoying lack of children in the royal court. There are days when his preferable partner in crime, Floí, is nowhere to be found. Mahal knows what he's up to.

He was stuck with his twin sister Cathy whenever this happens. He heard many people tell them that Cathy was the splitting image of their mother, Queen Catherine. But her serious and sweet nature possibly came from the late Lady Theyra, King Thorin's mother. It was almost always impossible to coax Cathy away from her dolls.

But once or twice he succeeds and he calls their adventures the infamous Adventures of Jack and Cathy. No one will ever know about them. Nor anyone will ever be.

At times like these, when their Queen mother was terribly busy, they have a caretaker, who fortunately loves reading books more than looking after the youngest children of the most powerful Dwarven family.

'Come on then, Cathy! She's not looking anymore.' Jack beckoned his twin sister towards the halls of the Mountain. Today, the twins contented themselves inside the Mountain, exploring it mostly for Jack.

'Jack! You know we are not allowed to venture too far. Amad will be angry at us.' Thorin and Kate's youngest girl jumped out of her bed and walked hurriedly to chase her brother.

Jack was waiting for his sister when he heard a strange noise. He turned around and listened intently. It was like a screech—like a bird trapped inside one of the rooms. He didn't wait anymore for Cathy and dashed silently, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.

'Jack!' he heard his sister's plea and small hurried steps as she tried to catch up with him. But it did not matter to him anymore, for he found the source of the screeching sound—inside his parents' bedchamber.

Normally there would be guards near the entrance to the King and Queen's bedchamber. But sometimes they are called by their mother to do "more important duties than guarding an empty room" as Queen Catherine would often retort. Their treasure so to speak was not stored in their bedchamber anyway.

The youngest boy of Thorin and Kate felt giddy all over. Discovery, curiosity and adventure flow in every vein of Jack. Especially since as his mother would always say, that he resembled his mother's own twin brother, the Uncle that they would never meet.

Carefully, Jack opened the huge door and peeped inside. Sure enough, the screeching was coming from inside. It was urgent and unforgiving. Like it wanted to wake the dead. _A huge bird might be trapped inside!_ thought Jack.

He felt the tiny hands of her sister touching his back. Jack looked back at her and saw her catching her breath. And then suddenly, her face turned to wonder. 'Who is that?' Cathy asked her voice quiet.

Jack felt his face almost breaking from grinning so hard. He took his sister's hand and together they entered the bedchamber.

They've grown up in this bedchamber and Jack more or less had memorized everything in it. Their mother's books, their father's boots and cloaks, a table with different maps and letters.

Jack was listening carefully, with feet walking silently to know where the screeching sound was coming from when it stopped. 'No!' Jack said exasperatedly. He let go of Cathy's hand. 'How are we to find the bird now?'

**Cathy**

Cathy realized that Jack was on the verge of a tantrum. Being this adventurous and curious had its downside. When Jack "loses" his discovery, he throws a tantrum. And if he did that now, that would lead to other people realizing that they are inside the King and Queen's bedchamber and not with their caretaker, where they are supposed to be. _Amad will be in such a fit!_

Cathy was about to pull Jack to face her and probably try to stop him from throwing a tantrum when the screeching sounds began again. Immediately, her twin's face turned serious and he walked lightly but swiftly across the room, determined not to lose the bird again.

They were both walking and straining their ears for a few minutes. It sounded to Cathy like the bird was in so much pain and it was not stopping.

Jack walked near their parents' bed with a knowing face. He had found where the sound was coming from, Cathy was sure.

Cathy, although terrified, eagerly followed her twin. She saw him holding a black rectangular box with a mirror on top and tiny square boxes in the bottom of it. It was protesting loudly in the hands of her twin brother. At intervals, the mirror lit up, revealing strange looking figures.

'What is that?' she asked, her voice full of wonder.

'I think I heard Amad look at this once and called it a "fawn",' Jack said with equal wonder. It was almost like the object knew its name that at Jack's calling it a "fawn" its protests immediately died down.

It didn't escape Cathy's notice that her brother's natural curiosity would have taught him what the mysterious object was even before he had his hands on it. Being the youngest and tiniest inside the Mountain had its perks, well for Jack anyway, and that usually means Jack is able to learn more than what the dwarves under the Mountain would want the young prince to know.

'A fawn?' Cathy asked back.

'Yes, my twin sister, a fawn," Jack declared with flair. At that, the "fawn" screeched once again. Both of them were so startled that Jack let go of the mystical box. It contacted with the floor and broke into pieces.

The twins hitched a breath. Cathy felt Jack's hand on hers, gripping it rather tight. They looked at each other and Cathy realized that both of them were sporting such terrified faces. 'What are we going to do, Cathy?' Jack whispered.

Cathy knelt down and examined the box's contents, strewn on the floor. The box was made of more boxes, tiny and narrow ones. She figured that maybe they could work on it, put it back together again. She picked up one of the pieces and the very body of the box, the one with the mirror. The piece fitted the back of the box perfectly.

**Jack**

Jack was standing, but squatted after Cathy successfully put together the two pieces. Cathy turned her head to look at him and she smiled. A wave of relief washed over him.

Cathy handed the box to Jack. However, the weight felt wrong in Jack's hands. 'It should be heavier,' he said to Cathy. He felt terrified all over again. He shouldn't have been carrying it so precariously.

'Oh,' Cathy said. She reached further and took out another box. 'Maybe this goes first before the one I just put back?'

Jack took what Cathy handed him and looked at the fawn's body. 'How do we take out the back?' They looked at each other—Jack with terrified eyes and Cathy with curiosity. He found his sister taking the box from his hand and looking at it the way their mother looked at her books. Although Jack was the curious and more daring one, Cathy was the ingenious one.

For a moment, Jack thought they could drop the fawn again to take out the back. But Cathy was holding onto it like it was the most fascinating thing she had ever laid her eyes on. For a while, Cathy kept pulling the back. His sister looked at it again intently. She held it up near her eyes. 'Do you see that, Jack?' Cathy was pointing to a tiny hole made by the piece Cathy put in a while ago. 'It's not quite going in isn't it?'

Jack noticed that indeed the pieces weren't fitting in perfectly. Cathy grabbed it both hands and rubbed her hands together with the box in between. Soon enough, the back piece dropped from Cathy's hands and the box itself almost again.

'Woah!' Jack caught the back piece and gave it to her sister. She was busy fitting in the other piece she just took. The young prince saw the tinier box fitting in the body of the piece with the mirror. Cathy then grabbed the back piece from his hand and slid it in.

The box was whole again.

_Hurray!_ Jack thought. 'Now how do we open it?' Cathy asked more to herself than to him. It smacked on Jack that that the fawn needed to be alive again. 'How is it going to be alive again?' he exclaimed, a bit of panic seeping into his voice.

His twin sister looked at him sternly and said in a serious tone, 'Jack, get a hold of yourself. We'll figure this out.'

There are some days that Jack always was bummed out that his older brothers can't play with him or that Floí is absent that he gets stuck with Cathy. But most days, he is grateful that he has a twin sister like Cathy.

And it would be throughout the years that would come.

**Kate**

Kate touched her neck and stretched it. She got stuck in her study all day and fell asleep in there too out of exhaustion from dealing with different visitors and taking care of official letters. It fell on her to take care of these things when Thorin was out leading the monthly patrols. Already the sun was peeking shyly from the clouds. Kate opened her eyes and saw that she spent the night in her study, her head resting on the mountain of paperwork she was working on.

These particular days made her miss her twins, as she still hadn't quite gotten used to them being apart from her. She walked towards their nursery, hoping to kiss them or greet them good morning.

Upon opening the door to the twins' bedchamber, she was met with the sight of the twins' caretaker soundly sleeping on a chair with a book in her hands. She looked around, expecting the twins sleeping as well and found that both weren't in their beds. She quickly shook the caretaker awake. 'Dalia! Dalia! The twins!'

Kate wasted no time in looking for the twins and called the guards in helping to find them. The whole Mountain woke up the Queen's commands. Even her eldest daughter Duria rushed out of her room and got instructions from her mother to look at every crevasse in the Mountain. Duria hurried away with one of her handmaids.

A lot of things were going on inside Kate's head. The twins might have gone up, outside the Mountain. 'Mahal, please take care of my twins,' she silently prayed. It didn't also slip her mind that Dalia has been an unreliable caretaker. She had to find someone who could match the twins' energy.

She rushed to her and Thorin's bedchamber to put on her boots. She wanted to join the search party that would go outside of the Mountain.

She entered the bedchamber and hurriedly looked for her boots.

She was about to head out when she heard a screeching sound from her bed. She quickly turned around and saw Jack and Cathy sleeping on their bed.

'My little fledglings,' Kate whispered to herself. She saw Cathy hugging one of her father's pillows while Jack was sprawled on the bed. She noticed Jack was holding on to a tiny box, one particular item she put out yesterday to wake her early.

Her phone, a BlackBerry 9320 (as she still remembered) was miraculously still alive after all these years in the Mountain. The battery never quite died. Mysteriously, it always managed to get enough battery whenever she opened it, years after finishing the Quest. The day before yesterday, she took it out. In the earlier years of her adjustment in the Mountain, one of the things she was used to was Thorin waked her up every morning. But when the King under the Mountain went frequently to patrols and she had to stay in Erebor, taking care of the kids and boring herself with the business of the state, she found waking up a bit harder.

So she figured that her cellphone may not function for communication purposes, but it would be advantageous for waking up purposes. She programmed its alarm clock every time Thorin went out.

She looked around the room and found that due to her panic she didn't notice that the twins clearly spent the whole day yesterday in their bedchamber. All across the room her books were lying in a pile; obviously Cathy had been looking into them again. And some of Thorin's clothes and shoes were out of their closet; clearly Jack was playing dress up again.

She went outside for a moment to tell the guards to stop the search party as the youngest prince and princess were already found.

Exhausted, Kate assumed she could take the morning off today and decided to sleep beside her twins.

Only to be woken up by the screeching sounds of her BlackBerry 9320 and the squeals of Jack and Cathy.

* * *

A/N: Tell me what you think :)


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